Friedman Kaplan Seiler Adelman & Robbins LLP‘s New York-based commercial litigation practice is ’well equipped to handle even the most complex litigation’ at the national and global scale in areas spanning financial services, technology, government, and energy, and the firm has a strong track record in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Corporate and individual clients in banking, investment, and asset management rely on the firm on cases ranging from shareholder and employment disputes, securities litigation, breach of fiduciary duty cases, and complex state-investor arbitrations. Outside of finance, the firm has led on civil antitrust proceedings in the tech sector, bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings, and on litigation with parallel international proceedings. With a depth of experience in commercial disputes, leading names are Eric Seiler, who acts on liability management litigation and derivative suits, securities litigator Edward Friedman, and Jason Rubinstein has a broad practice in big-ticket disputes. Praised as an ‘exceptionally smart, strategic, and experienced trial lawyer’, John Orsini acts in the banking and finance sector, and the ’super bright’ and ‘really organised’ Scott Henney is also recommended.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘The firm's expertise in matters applicable to our specific litigation was a driving factor in our engagement. Ongoing partner-level communication and iteration has been outstanding.’
- ‘I have worked on several very substantial cases with this firm. They are experienced, practical and smart and also conscious of being efficient and deliberate.'
- ‘John Orsini is an exceptionally smart, strategic, and experienced trial lawyer – well equipped to litigate complex commercial disputes and to try them to juries and the bench in a straight-forward, effective manner. I would trust John with any type of commercial claim, including those most impactful to our business.’
- ‘The team at Friedman Kaplan Seiler Adelman & Robbins – and particularly John Orsini – are elite trial lawyers, with exceptional experience and credentials. They are well equipped to handle even the most complex litigation and can act nimbly and effectively across types of commercial claims. They are also an exceptional value relative to comparably skilled firms and trial lawyers.’
- ‘Steven Pesner, Jamuna Kelley and Bonnie Baker are all excellent lawyers. They are smart and practical and dedicated to client service.’
- ‘The litigation team is super responsive and very clever. Able to juggle multi-jurisdictional litigation with aplomb.’
- ‘Scott Henney is a real stand out superstar. He is super bright, really organised and can juggle several things seamlessly at once. He is really good at the detail (and our case involves very complex financial concepts), but doesn't lose sight of the bigger picture. He knows when to stand his ground but is able to be flexible where necessary. We would really struggle in this litigation without him. Alex Levi is also fabulous. Really responsive and very clever. They make a great team.’
- ‘Scott Berman- genuinely caring, very savvy, personable, smart and pensive. Many litigators are overly aggressive; Scott Berman only acts when he has a well thought out plan. Scott Henney- very nice person, caring, smart, very well polished. Thorough in any task, he is an associate I can trust like a partner.’
- ‘Senior Counsel Steven Pesner brings nearly unrivaled experience and judgment that allows him to get right to the heart of why his client ought to win. Counsel Jamuna Kelley is a highly strategic and thoughtful solver of complex legal problems.’
- ‘Elizabeth Bierut is phenomenal. She approach every case with the most beneficial, cost effective, and efficient strategy for the client and execute. ’
Key clients
- Adam Neumann (founder of WeWork)
- All Nippon Airways
- Allianz Risk Transfer (Bermuda) Ltd. (part of Allianz Group)
- Altamarea Group
- Apollo Global Management
- Athene Holding Ltd.
- The Bank of New York Mellon
- Black Diamond Commercial Finance, L.L.C.
- Catalent Pharma Solutions
- East West Bank
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for Signature Bank
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for First Republic Bank
- Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver for Republic First Bank
- Financial Credit Investment Funds
- Houlihan Lokey Capital, Inc.
- Stockholders in multi-state cannabis operator SH Parent, Inc.
- Sony
- SS&C Technologies
- Susquehanna International Group
- Wells Fargo & Company
Work highlights
Obtained a post-trial settlement on behalf of the collateral agent for a syndicated first-lien term loan facility in an innovative lawsuit challenging a 2024 Del Monte Foods, Inc. liability management transaction through a Delaware Chancery Court proceeding.
Representation of the State of New Jersey and its governor in defense of a purported whistleblower and defamation suit brought by a former state employee who claimed he was fired for complaining about prioritizing procurement of COVID-19 tests for a high-ranking official's family.
Representation of over three dozen plaintiff equity holders of a multi-state cannabis operator in a Delaware Chancery Court action alleging claims of breach of fiduciary duty, civil conspiracy, and aiding and abetting arising over a multi-year period against, among other defendants, the former Chairman and CEO and other former and current directors and officers.
Practice head
Anne Beaumont; Jason Rubinstein; Jeffrey Wang
Other key lawyers
Eric Seiler; Edward Friedman; John Orsini; Scott Henney; Elizabeth Bierut; Alex Levi; Jamuna Kelley; Bonnie Baker